I know that technically, seventh year would have been in the mid-90s. But I like writing about it in the future because it leaves open the possibility that perhaps, just perhaps, D/Hr really can happen. *fingers crossed*
Chapter 18: Suit No. 312 of 2005
"Hurry up, Ron! We've spent half of my lunch break in here already." said Harry impatiently.
"The green or the blue?" said Ron, fingering two different coloured brooches.
"Green, it goes with her eyes!"
"But you said blue was better just now?"
"Ok, blue then."
"But you said green goes with her eyes."
Harry sighed. "Look, Ron. I'm sure she'll like whatever colour we choose for her."
"Yes, but…"
"We'll take this!" said Harry, handing the green jeweled brooch to the witch at the counter of Jorinda's Jewels.
"That's a good choice", she approved, fishing out a tiny silver box and putting the brooch in. "That'll be ten galleons and eight sickles."
Harry and Ron each took out some money and handed it to her. Ron took the silver box and slipped it into his pocket.
"D'you really think she'll like it?"
"Sure" said Harry, enthusiastically. "It's bound to cheer her up."
"I wish her parents would stop going on at her about Malfoy as if it's her fault he disappeared." Ron said unhappily.
Harry walked towards a sandwich shop and his stomach gave a hungry rumble. When he had agreed to meet Ron to choose a cheering-up gift for Blaise, he didn't figure on giving up his whole lunch break to do it.
"Pickles for you?" asked Harry, placing their order.
"The last time we met up she said her father was applying to the Wizard Council to have Draco declared dead. Then at least his fortune can be distributed and the Zabini's will get half of everything."
"Can't Lucius do anything about that?" Harry couldn't believe that he was actually rooting for Lucius Malfoy- bloodthirsty ex-death-eater and enormous snob.
"In Azkaban, you have no rights in the wizarding world. You're as good as dead."
"What about Malfoy's mother?"
"Oh yes, she could take control of the fortune… if she hadn't been diagnosed clinically insane by St Mungo's. Draco stood in as full proxy for her. With him gone, the fortune is at sea."
"S'far as I know, it takes seven years before a missing person is declared legally dead."
"Yeah, but apparently, if you can furnish proof that the person will never return, you can speed up that process."
"What proof does Zabini have anyway?" Harry and Ron took their trays to a table.
Ron took a huge bite of his ham and cheese sandwich.
"deweduz" he said.
"What?" Harry said. Ron still had that bad habit of talking with his mouth full.
Ron swallowed and repeated, "The fay dust."
Harry looked surprised. "Oh! You mean the fay dust Dumbledore told us they found in Hermione's Thyme Eliminus potion? What's that got to do with it?"
"Well, Blaise said she did a bit of investigation and she found out that there's no magical reversal for a potion with an unstable ingredient like fay dust…"
"Yes, but they can brew a Reverse Thyme Eliminus and return, yes?"
"Let me finish…apparently, under wizard law, if a person disappears under the influence of a potion that has no magical reversal you can apply to have him declared dead. It's a technical loophole"
Harry was scandalized, "Even if they can brew a Reverse Thyme Eliminus in the past that brings them back to the future?"
Ron nodded, taking another huge bite of his sandwich. "Bsmpheede…"
"Ron, swallow first" said Harry.
Ron did. "Blaise said the suit is being heard by the Wizengamot next week. She really doesn't want her father to succeed."
"Why not?"
"Well, first of all she thinks it's rotten unfair to Draco to lose half of everything. Next, her father might force her to take the name "Malfoy" which she really doesn't want…"
"She told you all this in her letters?" Harry was shocked. "She didn't mention half so much to me."
Ron blushed crimson. "Well…not exactly, she didn't mention it in her letters…"
"Then how?..." a look of understanding spread on Harry's face. "Of course! You two've been meeting up, haven't you?"
"Not a lot. Just er…a couple of times."
Harry was getting it now. He slapped his forehead. "No wonder! The musical box for her birthday… and that's why you wanted me to filch ministry records to see when her birthday was! And the bloody brooch…"
"That's from us."
"Only because you haven't the guts to give her another present on your own!" Harry thumped Ron on the back. "Wait'll Malfoy hears how you've been making the moves on his girl!"
Ron looked fearfully around him. "Will you keep your voice down!" he hissed. "This is supposed to be a secret okay? And besides…I d-d-don't know if she likes me that much."
Harry was still grinning widely. "The way you two danced at my birthday party last month…I would think so!"
Ron looked happy, "You think so?"
"Yeah…go for it man!"
Ron suddenly looked sad again. "Naaah…it's not gonna work. Draco isn't really dead. And even if he is declared dead, Blaise will take the name "Malfoy" and return to her pureblood life… there is no chance in hell that Roberto Zabini is going to let me within ten miles of his daughter."
Harry realized what Ron was saying was right.
"Can't Blaise stand up to her parents?"
Ron looked even glummer. "It's hard to stand up to your parents when it's all you've known all your life. She doesn't want to disappoint them and all that. And besides, even if she did break away from them, where would she go? She's got no one else."
"What about you?" Harry asked seriously.
"I dunno. Never felt this way about anyone before. Well, Hermione a bit back in the sixth, but not really like this…We were in school for merlin's sake. I mean, me take care of Blaise Zabini? Or for that matter, any other living thing? I've had Scabbers…but look what happened to him! And Pig's not exactly something to boast about either," Ron looked worried, "I dunno, Harry."
"Aw, c'mon Ron. Cheer up. Look, let's go to the pub and have a couple of pints. We'll figure something out."
"But your lunch break's nearly over."
Harry grinned. "Doge is in charge this week. The man still hasn't learned to use a muggle clock. Says he doesn't believe in them."
Ron nodded and followed his best friend out of the sandwich shop.
***********************************
It was nearly 5pm. Harry packed up and locked his briefcase for the day. Before he got into the lift, he turned down the corridor towards another section of the department. He paused before a door that said "Wizengamot and Wizengamot Administration Services, Council of Magical Law" He turned the handle and went in.
"Hi, Emmeline?"
The tall witch in green robes turned around at the sound of her name. She smiled. "Hello Harry, still here? What can I do for you today?"
"Er…I was just wondering if I could have a look at some of the files the Wizengamot is hearing next week. I've got a friend involved."
"Sure Harry," Emmeline said, taking a big key out of her robe pocket and signaling for him to follow him over to a magical filing cupboard. "Which case is it? Ha ha, I hope it's not Mundungus Fletcher and the illegal sale of poppy seed potions?"
"No, it's a Zabini file."
"Oh…okay. Z….let's have a look." She tapped the drawer labeled "Z" with her wand and muttered a spell. The folder flew up into her hands. "Here you are, Suit Number 312 of 2005: Zabini vs Malfoy. These are all public documents so it's okay to have a look, but return it to me within a day, won't you Harry?"
"Thanks!" Harry eagerly took the folder and put it into his briefcase.
"How's things over at Auror Headquarters? We don't mix enough in this department, I tell you."
"Great, we have a slight problem with ghoul and boggart infestations, but only because it's getting near Samhain."
Emmeline nodded. "Oh yes, I remember this time of year when I was working in your side of things, absolutely crazy. Doge and I once worked four days without sleep. Since I switched to the Wizengamot Administration Services, we don't really have such marked busy times of year anymore. Could you sign the Zabini file out here? Remember, you have to return it within 24 hours."
She walked Harry out of the office.
"Let's have coffee sometime" Harry said, "And thanks again"
"Not at all. send Ginny my love!"
Harry quickly took out the folder in his bag and skimmed it. "Suit Number 312 of 2005: Zabini vs Malfoy. In the matter of the declaration of legal death of Draco Malfoy due to the contamination by an irreversible potion under Section 422.1(a) of the Magical Life Existence Act…"
When it came to potions, he knew of only one person who could help them. He shut the folder and took out his wand. "Hogsmeade" he said, and disappeared with a crack.
**************************************
The council had already assembled in the dark, dungeon-like room on the tenth floor of the Ministry. Harry and Ron were sitting in the spectator's benches at the side. A thin man in magical binds was just leaving, having just been sentenced to six months in Azkaban for poaching Hippogriff eggs.
"He's not going to show, I tell you!" whispered Ron, looking at his muggle watch for the fiftieth time that morning.
"He will." Harry said. But even as he said it, he felt his conviction wane. They had been waiting nearly all morning, and now was the turn of the Zabini suit.
"Suit number 312 of 2005, Zabini versus Malfoy" read the attendant.
"He's not going to show, damn him!" cursed Ron.
Across them, at the other spectator benches, Blaise sat looking thin and pale, as her father and his lawyer approached the bench.
"In the matter of the declaration of legal death of Draco Malfoy due to the contamination by an irreversible potion under Section 422.1(a) of the Magical Life Existence Act, we, the plaintiffs would like to apply for such a declaration based on the grounds that the defendant's potion was technically irreversible and thus, final." Zabini's lawyer, a thin man named Mollock, said smoothly.
"Does the defendant have any representation?" Tiberius Ogden, who was presiding, looked expectantly around.
"He does, sir. I am Edward Montague and I represent the defendant."
"Well? I've read the ministry break-down of the potion and this case seems clear-cut to me." Said Tiberius, who was not one to mince his words, "Do you have any evidence to the contrary, Mr Montague? You know that fay-dust renders a potion irreversible?"
Mr Montague began to perspire and shuffle his papers.
"We're waiting, Mr Montague."
A door burst open and the entire gathered Wizengamot turned to see who had arrived.
"He's here!" said Ron happily.
"Told you so!" said Harry, secretly relieved.
"Professor Severus Snape!" said Tiberius in irritatedly. "I must ask you to knock before you enter my council room next time. We are in the middle of a trial!"
"So sorry" said Snape, not sounding sorry at all. He stalked across the room and sat next to Mr Montague. The two men exchanged some words.
"Sir…" protested Mollock, "This is most unorthodox, I was not informed of any new evidence or witness. I ask that Professor Snape leave at once."
"I think…not" said Snape, glaring at Mollock with his signature beady eyes. Harry and Ron were on the edge of their seats. They knew that look well. Apparently so did Mollock, because he lapsed into silence. Roberto Zabini and his wife were whispering furiously in the corner.
"Professor Snape, Mr Monatgue, we do not have all day…please proceed…"
Mr Montague stood up with a roll of parchment in his hands.
"The potion is reversible." He said, beaming. Mollock looked sour and Zabini looked outraged.
"Impossible!" said Mollock. "It was tested by Ministry officials! Fay dust renders it irreversible"
"The potion is irreversible in its current state because of fay dust. If fay dust makes it irreversible, then fay dust must be removed from the potion." Said Montague.
"Which…I think we have established, is impossible to do" said Mollock, triumphantly.
Mr Montague unrolled the sheet of parchment. "Conventionally yes, Mr Mollock- but Professor Severus Snape has informed me of a possible method of removing the fay dust."
"Which is?" Tiberius Ogden tapped him fingers impatiently on the bench.
"To ask the fay to remove it." Mr Montague blushed as he said it.
The court began to laugh. The fifty witches and wizards in plum coloured robes and silver "W"s on their chests simultaneously chortled and choked. If Dumbledore hadn't retired from the council, would he have laughed at this too? Thought Harry, turning red.
"You cannot be serious?" said Mr Mollock, outraged. "What rubbish is this?"
"It is my understanding that the fay are capable of magic beyond our understanding. They can bend time, they can add or remove from the essence of all things, they exist yesterday, tomorrow and now…" The court stopped laughing. Severus Snape's words echoed around the chamber.
Harry was strongly reminded of his first potions lesson where Snape had told them he could teach them to bottle fame, brew glory, even stopper death…
Tiberius Ogden wrinkled his brow. "Mr Montague, is not what you suggest a very remote possibility?"
"But it is a possibility, nonetheless." said Snape.
"We are not sure where the fay are, or how to contact them. They have not been seen for centuries…this fay dust is an anomaly…" Tiberius Ogden spoke aloud as he mulled over the problem.
"But it is a possibility." insisted Snape.
"Let us put it to a vote," said Tiberius. "All those who concur with Snape raise your right hands."
Harry, Ron and Blaise held their breaths. Amelia Bones was the first to put up her hand, followed reluctantly by Griselda Marchbanks. Slowly, the entire council put up their right hands.
"It is unanimous. Very well, Mr Montague, it appears your client is not dead." said Tiberius Ogden. "Suit dismissed." He banged his gavel on the table. Harry and Ron beamed. Blaise looked pink with happiness.
"Bloody fairies…bloody fairies!" Roberto Zabini spat at Snape as the parties left the council room. "A likely farfetched story! A ridiculous whale of a tale…"
"But…a possibility" said Snape, dryly. "Good day, Mr Zabini."
Snape bowed shortly and turned away, his black robes flying out behind him as he left a fuming Roberto Zabini in his wake.
"Professor! Professor!" Harry, Ron and Blaise ran up to Snape before he could leave the ministry.
Snape looked at them with an long-suffering gaze.
"What is it this time Potter?"
"Thank you, we just wanted to say, thank you!" said Blaise, nearly hugging her ex Potions Master but restrained by years of fear of the man from actually doing so. Snape looked faintly amused.
"We knew you'd think of something" said Ron. "Thanks, Professor."
"Enough groveling, Weasley. I get enough of that from my Slytherins back at Hogwarts."
"So," Harry said excitedly, "Does this mean we can reverse the potion and get Hermione back? Er… and Malfoy too?"
Professor Snape's lips curled into a thin smile. "Calm down, Potter. You won't be seeing your bushy-headed witch friend for a long, looong time."
The three young people stared at him.
"You see, Roberto Zabini was right. It really is a ridiculous whale of a tale…"
"But Professor! All we have to do is ask the fairies…" said Blaise, but she was cut off.
"Fairies! Hah!" Snape clicked his tongue, "You've been reading too many baby witches' tales, haven't you, Miss Zabini?" Snape said, "There hasn't been a fairy sighted in the British Isles for over five hundred years. I don't know how on earth Miss Granger wangled fay dust into her potion but I'm afraid it's landed her and Mr Malfoy in hot soup. No, I'm afraid your fiancé and Miss Granger are stuck…till they brew their own reverse potion, that is."
Harry felt greatly disappointed. He had been so much hoping that they could bring Hermione back. Ron glanced at Blaise.
"I'm just glad Draco got to keep his fortune" she said quietly. "Father's really going too far. I'm glad I don't have to marry him right away."
She and Ron exchanged glances and smiled. Professor Snape raised an eyebrow and Harry couldn't help but shift uncomfortably.
"Strange… sentiments, Miss Zabini. In light of the current climate, I strongly recommend you keep them to yourself. Good day- I have a class in ten minutes" he sighed, "Another imbecilic lot of first years. They haven't improved at all since your time." Harry thought there was just the smallest twinkle in his eye, but no! Surely not! This was Snape.
"Good bye professor."
Snape flicked his wand and disapparated with a crack.
Harry, Ron and Blaise turned to walk back to the ministry. "Well, I'm going back to work" said Harry.
"Wait Ron," Blaise turned to Ron, "Are you going for practice now? Thanks awfully for coming, i-it was great to have you two there. Oh, and thanks for this…I wore it, for luck." She turned her left shoulder to him and they both saw her robe fastened with the green brooch from Jorinda's. "It worked!" she smiled. "Harry, see the brooch Ron bought me, isn't it lovely?"
"Ron bought it for you? Er…yeah it's great…" Harry raised his eyebrows and gave Ron a searching glance. Ron was looking at his feet.
"Thanks so much, Ron."
"S'allright. Gladyoulikedit" he mumbled.
"Owl me" said Blaise, smiling at Ron.
"Okay" said Ron. "I will."
"Bye Harry. Bye Ron" she said, before getting into an elevator to go to her floor.
Harry and Ron waited for her to leave.
"Ron? Would you like to tell…"
But Ron shook his head and grinned as he pressed five galleons and four sickles into Harry's palm.